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41 New Planets in 20 Star Systems

Two independent papers have been submitted confirming 41 new transiting planets in 20 multiple planet systems in the Kepler field of view. One paper (J Steffen et al, 2012) confirms 27 transiting planets in 13 systems; and the other paper (Ji-Wei Xei, 2012) confirms 24 transiting planets in 12 systems. Five of the systems are common to both of the independent studies- Kepler-48, Kepler-49, Kepler-53, Kepler-57, and Kepler-58. The papers are currently under scientific peer-review. Once accepted, these results may increase the number of Kepler’s confirmed planets by more than 50 percent: to 116 planets hosted in 67 systems, over half of which contain more than one planet. The diagram shows the newly submitted transiting planets in green along with the unconfirmed planet candidates in the same system in violet. The systems are ordered horizontally by increasing Kepler number and KOI designation and vertically by orbital period. Credit: Jason Steffen, Fermilab Center for Particle Astrophysics